a blog about transition

Two Years Since Coming Out

Today is my two year anniversary (or as we like to call it, maniversary) since coming out as transgender to my parents. It hasn’t been a smooth ride, but coming out has been the best thing I have ever done in my life. On Dec 24th, 2014, we had just gotten home from a funeral. I had managed to convince my parents to let me wear a button up shirt and tie, and I had never felt more confident in what I wore. We were in an orthodox Jewish temple, and my parents explained to me that normally, the men and women would be segregated. Knowing that I would have had to be grouped in with the girls gave me extreme dysphoria. Later that day, I came out to my dad, then my mom, and then my brother.
My life has drastically changed since then. My parents have gone above and beyond and have fought for me every step of the way. From dealing with transphobic family members, to fighting (and winning!) trans rights in our home state of Massachusetts, to getting me testosterone (9/25/15) and successfully convincing our insurance company to let me have top surgery, despite being under the age of 18 (3/14/16).

Today, I live my life fully as male, and I never get misgendered. In the beginning of my transition, I used to try to lower my voice (and fail), and attempt to appear more masculine, but thoroughly fail and embarrass myself. Now, my voice has gone from singing soprano to being a baritone, and it’s getting lower. I’ve changed even the littlest aspects about me, from the way I walk, my handwriting, to even the way I sit and how I breathe. Currently, we’re working towards getting my gender marker changed before Trump takes office. My wonderful, amazing grandmother has offered to pay for my hysterectomy. My life, despite having a lot of ups and downs, is finally the life I want to live.

I want to give a special shoutout to the team at Carmilla Series. I discovered Carmilla in mid 2015, and I was hooked. It became my obsession. Seeing LGBT characters, especially a trans characters, be the hero of their own stories gave me a community and friends I desperately needed. I’ve stuck with these friends, and they’ve helped me through so much, and have given me a home I always wanted.

Thank you to everyone who’s been there for me along this journey, and I can’t wait for the years to come.